The Billionaire's Bodyguard Bride (16 page)

She was a goddess
. Rafe watched on the veranda, unnoticed, as Lauren stood poised at the edge of the diving board. The sun kissed her toned limbs and highlighted the mane of sunshine spun into silk that spilled over her shoulders.

She executed a perfect dive and disappeared beneath the pool’s surface. For a moment he was transported back to that day in Greece when he’d first laid eyes on her. He remembered the fear that had gripped him when he saw her struggling in the ocean, and the relief that had washed over him when he pulled her safely to shore. And he remembered how he’d lost himself in her, succumbing to the pull that had pulsed between them from the moment their gazes locked on the sun-warmed beach.

Loath as he was to admit it, she’d gotten under his skin that day.
She still got to him.
He’d thought making love with her last night would satiate his need for her, but it had only intensified it. Judging by the way she’d responded to him, he knew she wasn’t ready to walk away from him either. Arousal nipped hard on the heels of the thought.

Finishing her swim, Lauren stretched out on a chaise longue to soak up the last of the afternoon sun. He was consumed with the need to join her there and claim her again. Needing to cool down and redirect his thoughts, he jumped into the pool to do laps until he had his libido under control.

“Good swim?” Lauren asked, oblivious to the inner battle he was waging as he pulled himself out of the water and toweled off.

He nodded, grabbing a bottle of sunscreen off the side table and sitting down beside her. “Did you reapply sunscreen?”

“No, but I’m fine.”

“You may think so now, but you won’t be fine if you get a sunburn.” Squirting some of the lotion into his hands, he warmed it between them before massaging it into her skin. She purred like a contented kitten as he stroked it across her back. The feel of her warm, silky skin under his palms was making it hard to focus.

“How did your meeting go?” she asked.

“Quite well. My gut tells me Chuck is leaning towards accepting my offer. He and Grace are taken with you, by the way.”

“I like them, too. Grace reminds me of my mom.”

“It must have been tough, losing her so young. Hard for your father, too.”

“She was his everything. When she died, the grief overwhelmed him. He didn’t have anything left to live for.”

“But he had you and your brother.”

Lauren’s sun-kissed skin paled, and he felt a tiny shudder course through her.

“After my mom died, my father turned to liquor to numb the pain. He made a habit of drinking himself into a stupor each night. Most of the time he’d forget we even existed. The rest of the time Luke and I wished he would. He was a mean drunk.”

“He hurt you?”

“Not often.” But enough. And when he did, she’d cry herself to sleep, not because of the physical hurts, but because of the ache in her heart they left behind. “Luke was a fierce protector. He took the brunt of my father’s abuse.”

Rafe’s fingernails bit into his hands, anger surging through him for the way her father had made her suffer. “I’m sorry. I can’t imagine what that must have been like for you.”

“I had Luke, thankfully. He looked out for me. He worked part-time after school so he could make sure there was food on the table and the bills were paid. He kept me safe when my father was in one of his rages. Luke had to grow up too fast.”

“You both did. I lost my mom when I was young, too, so I know how difficult it is. At least my father didn’t pull away from me when she died. If anything, he became overly protective. He was afraid to let me out of his sight.”

“A natural reaction considering you were his only child.”

“Or so Dad thought. A few weeks ago my father learned he has a daughter by a woman he had an affair with. I have a half-sister I haven’t met yet.”

“That must have come as quite a shock.”

“More of a disappointment, really. My mother was still alive when my half-sister was conceived. It’s hard to wrap my head around the fact that my father broke his marriage vows. I’ve always thought of him as an honorable and righteous man. It’s hard to see him as flawed.”

“He’s human,” Lauren countered gently. We all make mistakes.”

He tipped his head in acknowledgment. “Yes we do. I guess I’m just learning to own up to the fact that I’ve made my share, too. The one I regret the most is pushing you away when you tried to explain about your article.” He paused, weighing his words. “I realize I’ve let far too much time pass, but I really meant it last night when I told you I’d like to hear your side of the story.”

Lauren shook her head. “You know, I still see red whenever I think about your pigheaded refusal to hear me out back then. You hung on to your obstinate belief that I used you to get to your father when you should have held on to me.”

“I’m giving you a chance to tell me your side of the story, now.”

If only she could
. Lauren hesitated, conflicted. She couldn’t relay the whole truth without jeopardizing the mission she was charged with—and further endangering Rafe. But perhaps she could give him part of the story, enough so he would know she wasn’t the self-serving monster he thought her to be.

“I know you don’t believe it, but when I snapped that photo, your father was just an anonymous face who happened to be framed in the picture. He was in the wrong place at the wrong time,” she began tentatively.

“Framed is an appropriate choice of words,” he seethed. “Do you have any idea what that trite piece of news nearly cost our family? You’re fortunate I was able to talk him out of suing you and the paper for defamation of character.”

“Do you want to hear what I have to say or not?”

“Go ahead. I’m listening.”

“You already know I was visiting Greece on a photojournalism assignment. The day we met I’d wrapped up the story and I was officially on vacation.”

“That’s your version.”

Lauren glared at him. “You said you were going to listen.”

He nodded, and motioned for her to continue.

“The paper had received a tip that Lawrence Mendacci was at a local café with a man known to have ties to a Colombian drug cartel.”

“So?”

“So, Mendacci has been on the radar of every major law enforcement agency for years for his reputed connection to the Greek Mafia, but no one’s been able to pin anything on him and make it stick. My assignment was to photograph him at the café and write a short speculative piece that would put a little pressure on him. It was the worst twist of fate that your father happened to be having lunch with him when I took the shot. I had no idea the third man at the table was your father. I hadn’t even met you yet, and the article was just a fishing expedition.”

“Well that net you cast during your little fishing expedition caused my father and me a ton of grief. It was sheer coincidence he was there that day. Lawrence Mendacci had purchased some horses from Dimitriou Stables, and he insisted my father join him for lunch. My father had no idea the man was rumored to have ties to the Mafia. Ties that have never been substantiated, I might add.”

“Mendacci’s brother has done jail time for larceny. The family has a reputation. You can see why the paper would act on the tip.”

“Perhaps, but that doesn’t change the fact that by running that photo along with the story, you painted my father in a very bad light.”

“And I’m truly sorry for that. In my defense, I wrote a follow-up to the original story to rectify my mistake. I didn’t sleep with you to get an ‘in’ for the article. You have to believe that,” she pleaded, desperate for him to see that she hadn’t meant to hurt him or his father.

Turning away from him, she brushed an errant tear away. She hadn’t meant to get so emotional, but rehashing the incident that had cost her the man she loved was painful. Even more painful was the knowledge that she was still holding back truths from him.

Rafe stepped around to face her, raising his hands in a conciliatory gesture. “I do believe you.” He shook his head self-deprecatingly. “I think the term you used was pig-headed. And you’re right. I’m sorry that pride made me freeze you out when I should have given you an opportunity to explain your side of the story. I know I don’t have any right to ask, but I’d like us to start over.”

Lauren’s heart soared at his heartfelt words. He hadn’t said the three words she most longed to hear, but it was a beginning. His apology was an incredible gift, and she wouldn’t throw it back at him.

“I’d like that,” she choked out.

Rafe cupped her face tenderly. “My stubbornness cost us a lot of time. Time I could have spent discovering you. There’s so much I don’t know about you. For instance, I hear you’re quite a master at Tae kwon do.”

“Oh really?”

“Grace told me you gave her a lesson. She’s very excited. She told Chuck she wants to sign up for a class.”

“Oh no. I may have created a monster.”

“Chuck thinks it’s great. So do I. I dabble in the martial arts a bit myself.”

“Really? Which discipline? Wait. Let me guess. Jujitsu?”

“No. Aikido.”

Lauren raised an eyebrow. “Seriously? I don’t know a lot about it, but I’ve heard it’s kind of tame. I didn’t think you had a softer side.”

“Are you saying aikido is for wimps? Shall we see which discipline is more effective, Mrs. Dimitriou?”

She tossed her head, amused. “You seriously want to pit your martial-arts skills against mine?”

“Unless the idea is too intimidating.”

Lauren propped her hands on her hips. “Ha! Of course not. You’re on.”

In the gym, she toed off her pumps. “Bare hands or weapons?”

“Hand to hand. I’ve seen what you can do with a stick,” he winked.

After a bit of sparring, Lauren moved in, confident in her ability to take Rafe down. She was amazed when he deflected her attack effortlessly, gently tumbling her to the mat.

She looked at him in bewilderment. “I’ve used that move in Tae kwon do class to drop a two-hundred-pound man to the floor. How did you do that?”

Rafe’s dimples danced in amusement as he balanced his weight carefully above her, pinning her to the mat. “I simply redirected your momentum. Still think aikido’s for softies?”

He was close. Too close. He smelled incredible, like a pine forest on a crisp winter day. Suddenly the atmosphere between them was charged with awareness. Her tongue darted out to moisten her lips.

Following the movement, the pupils in Rafe’s eyes widened and their midnight-blue depths darkened in arousal. And then his masterful mouth was on hers. Teasing. Tormenting.

Did she moan or did he? She didn’t know. She was too busy pressing her body closer to his.

Rafe’s hands dipped to her breasts, and Lauren took advantage of his momentary distraction to turn the tables on him. In one smooth move she flipped him so he was prone beneath her.

“How’s that for redirecting momentum?” she queried in mock innocence. “You’re at my mercy now, Mr. Dimitriou.”

“I like it when you get aggressive,” he drawled, sliding his hands under her yoga pants to cup her derriere, sending waves of heat scorching through her.

“If you keep that up, we’ll be late for dinner,” she teased.

“We’re newlyweds. They’ll understand.”

Lauren could get used to waking up in the warm circle of Rafe’s arms. Being kissed senseless was a wonderful way to welcome a new day. A shame reality had to intrude. “I wish you didn’t have to go,” she murmured when his mouth abandoned hers.

“Me too.” His sigh of regret echoed her disappointment. “I’d love nothing more than to continue this, but I have to meet Chuck in twenty minutes. He’s sitting down with each bidder individually today so we can present our personal vision for taking
Gracious Living
forward. I should be tied up for only a few hours, and then the rest of the day is ours. I thought we might go horseback riding if you’d like. “Or,” he added, mischief flashing in his brilliant blue eyes, “we could meet back here and pick up where we left off.”

“As much as I love your second suggestion, it’s impossible for me to say no to the first. I’m afraid the horses win out this time around, Mr. Dimitriou.”

“A horseback ride it is. I’ll meet you at the stables at eleven.”